Reversible fulcrum for brakes.



E. N, GOWER.

REMERSiBLE FULCRUM F08 BRAKES. APPLICATION FILED AUGJT, m1.

INVENTOR WITNESSES 7 'I W /mm; MWW m v ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 1918 2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

EN. GOWEH.

nmnsme FULCRUM 0R BRAKES. APPLICATIQN FILED AUG. 17' 19' 7- EL $5 557 Patented Mar. 5,1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EBEN N. GOWER, OF GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA.

REVERSIBLE FULCRUM .FOR BRAKES.

Application filed August 17, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EnnN N. Gowns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gainesville, in the county of Hall and State of ieorgia, have invented new and useful Inuarovcments in Reversible Fulcrums for Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a reversible ful- 'crum for brake beams, the primary object of the invention'being to provide fulcrum or support for a brake beam, whereby the fulcrum member may be reversed, in a rapid, ready and convenient manner, for right or left hand use, without the necessity of employing right and left hand brake beams or fulerums.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reversible fulcrum which is adapted to hold or loclt the beam at the proper working angle in either of its positions of adjustment, while permitting free pivotal motions thereof for braking actions, and which is adapted for use in connection with any ordii'iary type of brake beam, with or without trusses,

The invention consists of the features of construction, con'ibination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the application ot the invention to one type of brake beam, and illustratii'lg in full and dotted lines the reversibility of the fulcrum member. 7

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a vertical traiisvcrse section on line l '1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the brake beam and transverse section through the lever engaging member of the fulcrum taken on the line of the fulcrum pin.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the lever engaging member detached.

Figs. '7 and 8 are similar views of the sections of the beam carrying member detached.

Fig, 9 is a bottom plan view of the beam carrying member.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of a modified form of lever engaging member.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a brake beam, of that type provided with a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918..

Serial No. 186,805.

V-shaped truss 2. 3 represents the brake lever, and t my improved reversible fulcrum or supporting bracket for .pivotally connecting the brake lever with the brake beam. The beam shown is of the I-type, in common use, and the invention is shown in the present instance as adapted therefor, although it is to be understood that the beam engaging member of the fulcrum bracket may be of suitable type to engage any form of brake beam.

The reversible fulcrum and truss supporting bracket comprises, in addition to the lever engaging or fulcrum member 4, a beamcarrying member As shown, the beam carrying member is composed of a head formed of a pair of semi-cylindrical sections (5 and 7, said sections being provided at one end with angular jaws 9 to engage the base horizontal flange and the web of the beam 1, said jaws being perforated for the passage of a bolt 10 which also passes through the web of the beam, thus securing the beam carrying member in position.

The beam carrying member as thus constructed in sections is adapted for ready and convenient engagement with and disengagement from the brake beam, and, as shown, the semi-cylindrical sections 6 and 7 of the head of this member are formed with coilperating sets of recesses 11, 12 and 13 best seen in Fig. 7 The recesses 11 are arranged at the outer end of the cylii'idrical head 5, while the recesses 12 are'disposed between the recesses 11 and 13, whereby the shoulders lei and 15 are formed at the points of intersection of the respective recesses. The recesses 13 may, for convenience of construction, open into recesses 16 formed in the jaws to receive the flanges of the brake beam, but this is not essential. The sections of the head 5 are provided with sets of diametri eally disposed slots 17 and 18, arranged at right angles to each other, or at such other angles as may be desired, and which open through the outer or lower end of the head 5, for a purpose hereinafterdescribed.

The lever engaging or fulcrum member 4 comprises a block or substantially rectangular body having at one end a fulcrum pin 19 adapted to fit within the recesses 11 of the head 5, said pin being provided with a terminal annular flange 20 to fit within the recesses 13, and said pin being formed between its body portion and the flange 9.0 with a reduced portion or neck 21 to fit J to,

within the recesses 12, the construction being such as to allow the fulcrum pin to have pivotal motion in the head 5 for rotation about its axis, and to form shoulders or stop surfaces 22 and 23 which hold the fulcrum pin from longitudinal motion in either direction.

llhe body and main portion of the fulcrum pin of the lever engaging member is formed with a longitudinal slot 24 extending transversely therethrough for the passage of the fulcrum end of the lever 3, which is secured in position by a pivot pin 25 pass- I ing through openings in the sides of the body of the engaging member and the lever, said pin being provided with a fastening 26, in the form of a cotter pin or key, for retaining it in position against displacement. The slots in the body portion and fulcrum pin of the engaging member are adapted to permit the brake elements to have pivotal motion in service on the pivot pin as an axis, and the portions of this slot extending through the body of the fulcrum pin register with one or the other of the sets of slots in the head 5 of the beam carrying member, and'which are normally engaged by the lever, whereby a full working motion of the brake elements is permitted, while the engagement of the lever with the slots in the head serves to lock the lever and the lever engaging member from pivotal motion on the fulcrum pinas an axis.

lit will thus be understood that when the lever is applied to the carrier member and engages one of the sets of slots, say the slots It? in the beam engaging member, the beam and lever will be disposed at a proper rela tive working angle for right hand use and will lock the parts of the fulcrum against relative pivotal motion, so that the parts will be maintained in such working position. By however disconnecting the pivot pin 25 and sliding the lever down into the bottom of the slot '24 and out of engagement with the slots 17 the lever and its carrier member may be turned, as shown in dotted lines in lfig. 1, to dispose the beam and lever in a proper relative left hand working position, and then'upon sliding the lever into proper position in the slot at and reapplying the narrator pin 19 the lever will be brought into engagement with the set of slots 18, whereby the fulcrum members will be locked against displacement to retain the parts in the working position mentioned.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a fulcrum which will allow the leverto be turned to right or left for right or left hand use and will lock the lever. in adjusted position while allowing it to have free pivotal movement, and that the adjustment of the lever to either working position may be performed in a ready and convenient manner, whereby the use of right or left hand fulcrums and beams will be avoided. The

lever engaging member may be provided with a stem or projection 27 to receive a truss engaging member 28, comprising a tube having a notched end 29 to receive and engage the truss, whereby the fulcrum may be suspended from the truss, as will be readily understood.

lrVhen the fulcrum is employed upon beams which are without trusses, a lever ongaging or fulcrum member-4 of the form shown in Fig.10 may be employed, in which rier member to support the brake leverin right or left hand-working positions, the said carrier member being provided with a longitudinal slot, and .a lever extending through and pivotally mounted in said slot, saidlever being movable in the slot for engagement with and disengagement from the slots in'the head and adapted to interlock with one or the other of said sets of slots when in pivotally mounted position.

lln testimony whereof I affix my signature. EBEN N. GOWER.

floater at this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by arldreissln. the fiommiseioner or lE'atentr,

, l3 Waalnhugtotnll. it. 

